


Brotherhood

by bigmcworm



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, Trans Aaron Minyard, Trans Andrew Minyard, Trans Neil Josten, fullmetal alchemist brotherhood spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22901215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigmcworm/pseuds/bigmcworm
Summary: Andrew and Aaron have more in common than they want to admit, and Andrew loves Neil so much it makes him look stupid.  Also Nicky is awful to watch TV with.
Relationships: Aaron Minyard & Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 5
Kudos: 142





	Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meverri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meverri/gifts).



> I'm definitely NOT projecting do NOT look at me I am not taking questions at this time

Despite common belief, Andrew Minyard did like things. He liked cars, he liked his bedroom in Columbia, he liked ice cream, he liked Neil, he liked video games, and as much as he would never say it out loud, he liked anime. 

So in his fifth year at Palmetto, after he had run out of things he liked to introduce Neil to, they started watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. 

They had taken over the dorm TV, slouched in their individual bean bags, sharing a bowl of caramel popcorn (mostly eaten by Andrew), when Nicky and Aaron came in to be bothersome.

“Oh shit, is this the one where Maes Hughes dies,” Nicky exclaimed. Neil threw a piece of popcorn at him.

“I’ve never seen it before. Andrew and I just started watching it.” Neil shushed him.

“Everybody always says the chimera dog is the saddest episode but it’s definitely this one,” Aaron said from the kitchen, retrieving his own popcorn with just butter and salt, and sitting in the unoccupied bean bag on Andrew’s other side. Andrew raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn’t comment. Neil reached across Andrew to steal some of Aaron’s popcorn, and Andrew raised both eyebrows at the audacity, though he didn’t mind the proximity.

“Envy really is that bitch though,” Nicky said.

“I’m going to kill you in your sleep,” Andrew responded in monotone. 

***

The next week, the twins were at their joint session with Bee. Through disgusting coincidence, she was trying to get them to find interests in common.

“We both like Fullmetal Alchemist,” Aaron said. Andrew face didn’t change, but internally he was screaming.

“You both see why this is funny, right?” Bee said, looking between the two of them.

“Yes, Bee, it’s hilarious. It’s about brothers, and we’re brothers. How insightful you are. I don’t know how we stand it.” 

“Other than the obvious, Andrew. Although that irony did not escape me.” Bee said, always ready to take Andrew’s attitude to task. When neither of the twins gave any indication that they understood what she meant, Bee let out a heavy sigh. “Okay I’m going to be very blunt then. I want you both to go home and think about what you’ve told me separately about this show and realizations you had as children, and then I want you to talk to each other about it. I think it will be surprising but affirming for the both of you. Now leave before you make me any older.”

***

As Andrew tried to sleep that night, Neil curled against his side, he thought about the less bad parts of his childhood. If he was someone who chuckled, he would chuckle at how fucked up it was that one of the “less bad” parts had been figuring out he was a boy. Learning about Aaron, while awful in obvious ways, was a relief. A twin, an identical twin, who was also a boy despite not being born one. Someone just like him as confirmation that his existence wasn’t a product of his trauma, that this part of him would’ve been the same no matter what.

Neil stirred next to him, paused a moment to take Andrew in, and nodded his head in the direction of the bedroom door. Andrew followed Neil into the living room, where they sat facing each other on the couch, mirroring each other with one leg bent in front of them and the other swinging freely off the edge. Andrew knew Neil was waiting him out, and that he wouldn’t say anything right now unless Andrew asked him to, so he gave in.

“When I was a kid,” Andrew started, “I wanted to be Edward Elric.”

“Okay.” Neil nodded, seeming a bit confused. “I didn’t watch much TV when I was young, but I think that’s pretty universal? Wanting to be a hero or whatever?”

Andrew kicked him lightly in the shin. “Not like that, idiot.”

“Then like what?”

He took a deep breath. “I wanted to be Edward Elric because he was a boy.”

“Oh,” Neil said, maybe a bit louder than he needed to. “You don’t have to talk to me about this stuff if you don’t want to.”

“You’re so stupid. Do you think I’d even bring it up if I didn’t want to talk about it?”

Neil kicked him back. “I’m trying to be sensitive about the topic.”

“You’re also trans.”

“Yeah but I’ve been told on many occasions that my mouth gets me in trouble so I’m trying to be better.” Neil smirked.

“Your mouth is about to get you in trouble right now.” Andrew kicked him again.

“Oh?”

“You’re unbearable.” Andrew leaned in.

***

The next time Neil and Andrew were watching Fullmetal Alchemist, Aaron and Nicky decided to bother them once again. Nicky went to the kitchen, and Aaron plopped into the chair next to Andrew’s just as he the previous time. 

Without looking away from the screen, Aaron said, “So this was your trans awakening right?”

“Yes. Don’t you dare tell Bee we talked about this.” Andrew replied.

Just then, Nicky entered, “Oh shit, is this the one where it’s revealed that Salim Bradley is a homunculus,” Nicky yelled.

“I swear to god Nicholas-” Before Neil could kill him, Andrew yanked him back into his seat, but really it was an excuse to hold his hand.


End file.
